If you've ever felt truly calmed and relaxed by nature, it's partially because of a magical thing called fractals.

Fractals are (somewhat) hidden mathematical patterns and angles that show up again and again in different sizes. They show up throughout nature — in clouds, coastlines, snowflakes, human lungs, shells, rivers, and galaxies. Studies have shown that looking at fractal objects is very pleasing to our frontal lobes; they tend to fill us with awe and contentment even if we're just passing by them without staring at them directly.

With that in mind, here are a bunch of pictures of natural fractals that, thanks to science, will chill you out:

1.This fern, which is made up of lots of smaller leaves that mimic the fern's overall shape.